Water Resources planning and management

... Prof., Dept. of Civ. Engrg., Tufts Univ., Medford, MA 02155) and Charles N. Kroll , SMASCE , (Research Asst., Dept. of Civ. ... Probability plots have been used widely in hydrology as a graphical aid to assess the goodness of fit of alternative distributions. ...

Now is an ideal time to reflect, to take stock of where the Australian water industry is at, to scan the trends, disruptions and innovation opportunities that lie ahead, to imagine what the water industry could look like in the next 20 to 30 years, and to work out what it would take to realise that vision. As the weight of history, the push of the present and the pull of the future unfold, there is a need to take control, innovate, advocate and consciously head in the desired direction to ensure that the collective vision of the future water industry is fulfilled. The Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), the peak industry body that represents over 70 public and privately, owned water or water related organisations, commissioned the Institute to research and write this discussion paper on the trends and potential disruptions to Australia’s urban water futures.

Os mosteiros e conventos da Idade Média e Moderna, para funcionarem em condições de higiene e salubridade adequadas, careciam de um hidrossistema sólido e tecnicamente eficiente, na forma e no traçado, desde a captação de águas, seu transporte por gravidade, armazenamento e distribuição pela área intramural dos cenóbios, até à descarga dos resíduos domésticos e pluviais. Nesse sentido, o clero regular de outrora ensinou-nos a conquistar e a domesticar a água, ou seja, como se explora, conduz, acumula e administra com racionalidade e inteligência. Os testemunhos abaixo apresentados certificam um repertório de saberes e técnicas acerca do nosso amplo e diversificado património histórico-hidráulico de concepção pragmática e instância religiosa, hoje caídos em desuso e secos ou a funcionar modificados por novos equipamentos mecânicos. Esta afortunada manifestação de experiências e aptidões legadas, referentes à pesquisa e ao uso intensivo da água, legitima uma porção substancial de memória identitária bastante ignorada e ameaçada, que ultrapassa o domínio da tecnologia e urge recuperar e restabelecer na pluralidade da nossa cultura. É uma obrigação ética comum evitar o colapso desses importantes projectos centenários, atribuídos à ousadia e firmeza de espírito dos anónimos monges e frades de antanho. Amiúde, tais infra-estruturas são vitimadas por facilitações mesquinhas e actos abusivos de interesse privado económico-financeiro especulativo, que apagam ou ocultam o seu valor e significado históricos. Por isso, é improrrogável a nossa mobilização cautelar, assente no respeito e na responsabilidade pelos bens herdados das gerações precedentes, a fim de assegurarmos a sua salvaguarda, num propósito correlacionado de usufruto e defesa estáveis do nosso devir civilizacional.

The Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO) is an exclusive government institution (created by Water Resources Planning Act, 1992) under the ministry of Water Resources Bangladesh for Macro-level water resources planning and management in Bangladesh by pursuing Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). It is the central coordinating body for the water sector and acts as an Executive Secretariat of the Executive Committee of the National Water Resources Council (ECNWRC). The Bangladesh Water Act, 2013; The Water Resources Planning Act, 1992; National Water Policy, 1999; Coastal Zone Policy, 2005; National Water Management Plan, 2004; National Water Resources Council (NWRC); the Executive Committee of the National Water Resources Council (ECNWRC), etc. have given mandated task for WARPO. The four main task of WARPO are to prepare and update the National Water Resources Plan (NWRP); update and maintain the National Water Resources Database (NWRD); act as a clearing house role for all projects undertaken by any agency involved in the water sector; and coordinate & implement Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). From the creation of WARPO, it has made remarkable contribution to water sector, Bangladesh. However, a lot of gaps are existing in this Organization. The existing staffing structure, strength, support and service of WARPO are not sufficient to commensurate with its mandate and redefined functions effectively. This study has identified the contribution of WARPO in Water Sector and at the same time has identified the existing gaps in this organization and finally has recommended the tasks to become the centre of excellence in Water sector Bangladesh.

The quality of water being used by residents in Budiriro is a major health issue. Water system in Budiriro suburb is centralised through the reticulated water system which is not enough for the residents. The serious water shortage in Budiriro has forced residents to rely on unsafe water sources resulting in the area being endemic to waterborne diseases. This study sought to determine the impact of the quality of the water being used by residents in Budiriro. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted that combined quantitative and qualitative methods. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on alternative water sources A total of 72 samples were collected over a period of four months. Twenty-five (25) borehole water samples, 41 well water samples and 8 from the City of Harare tap water. Data from the questionnaires was captured and analyzed using SPSS (statistical package for social science) in line with the objective Sixteen percent (16%) of the boreholes and 56% of wells sampled did not meet the WHO total and faecal coliform standards of zero per 100ml. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of residents use the water without any form of treatment. Results show that residents are potentially exposed to waterborne diseases. This study concludes that water from alternative sources in Budiriro is of poor quality. The study ascertains the relative importance of the use of different sources of water leading to the development of a distribution planning model for different sources of water to Budiriro residents.

Mounding often occurs beneath engineering structures designed to infiltrate reuse water. AQTESOLV software and a spreadsheet solution for Hantush, together with soil moisture water balance (SWAGMAN farm model), were used for quantitatively predicting the height and extent of groundwater mounding underground to assess the groundwater-flow simulations of infiltration from a hypothetical irrigation site. Horizontal and vertical permeability, aquifer thickness, specific yield, and basin geometry are among the aquifer and recharge properties inputs. For 2.2 ha sites, the maximum heights of the simulated groundwater mound ranges up to 0.29 m. The maximum areal extent of groundwater mounding measured from the edge of the infiltration basins of 0.24 m ranges from 0 to 75 m. Additionally, the simulated height and extent of the groundwater mounding associated with a hypothetical irrigation infiltration basin for 2.2 ha development may be applicable to sites of different sizes, using the recharge rate estimated from the SWAGMAN farm model. For example, for a 2.2 ha site with a 0.0002 m/day recharge rate, the irrigation infiltration basin design capacity (and associated groundwater mound) would be the same as for a 1.1 ha site with a 0.0004 m/day recharge rate if the physical characteristics of the aquifer are unchanged. The study claimed that the present modelling approach overcomes the complications of solving the Hantush equation for transient flow. The approach utilised in this study can be applied for other purposes such as measuring the feasibility of infiltrating water, attenuation zone, risk mitigation essential for decision-makers and planning regulators in terms of environmental effects and water use efficiency.